But thus saith the Lord
In answer to the above objection, being mightier than the mighty, and stronger than he by whom his people are detained, being the Almighty: even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of
the terrible shall be delivered;
or, "the prey of the violent ones" {u}; which is an answer both as to might and right; as to might, though they are the captives of the mighty, yet they shall be taken away from them by him that is mightier than they, even the mighty God; and as to right, they are the prey of persons that have by force and violence usurped a power over them, and therefore shall be delivered; as the Lord's people are out of the hands of Satan; both in redemption by Christ out of the hands of him that is stronger than they; and in conversion by him who is stronger than the strong man armed; and enters into their hearts, the palace of the devil, spoils his goods, takes his armour from him, overcomes and binds him, and delivers them from his power; so that he shall not have dominion over them, and much less destroy them, though he may sometimes be terrible to them by his temptations, ( Jeremiah 31:11 ) ( Luke 11:21 Luke 11:22 ) . This will have a further accomplishment, in the deliverance of the Lord's people from the mighty and terrible beast of Rome: for I will contend with them that contend with thee;
the Babylonians literally; Satan and his principalities figuratively; and also antichrist, and the antichristian kings and states, that quarrel with, fight against, and oppress the Lord's people: and I will save thy children;
regenerate persons, the members of the church, be they where they will; these the Lord will save with a temporal, spiritual, and eternal salvation, Deliverance from the Romish yoke and oppression seems to be here chiefly designed, when Jezebel's children will be killed with death, as follows; see ( Revelation 2:23 ) .